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File ID: 2023-00847 7/25/2023 Consent Item 11.
Approval of Round 5 Transformative Climate Communities Grant Application File ID: 2023-00847
Location: North Franklin, District 5 represented by Councilmember Maple Recommendation: Adopt a Motion: authorizing the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to: 1) take all actions necessary for the City to be included as a co-applicant on La Familia Counseling Center’s application for a grant of up to $29.5 million from the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) under the Round 5 Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) program; 2) submit a letter of commitment as part of La Familia Counseling Center’s grant application guaranteeing that the City will execute its responsibilities related to the TCC grant if awarded; 3) sign a draft partnership memorandum of understanding with La Familia Counseling Center and other partners that outlines the parties’ responsibilities related to the TCC grant; and 4) sign a draft multi-jurisdiction memorandum of understanding with the County of Sacramento to outline the City’s and County’s responsibilities related to the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street component of the TCC grant.
Contact: Ginger Weagraff, Development Project Manager, (916) 808-1222, [email protected], Office of Innovation and Economic Development; Megan Johnson, Senior Engineer, (916) 808-1967, [email protected], Department of Public Works; Denise Malvetti, Deputy Director, (916) 808-7064, [email protected], Office of Innovation and Economic Development; Mikel Davila, Senior Development Project Manager, (916) 808-8506, [email protected], Office of Innovation and Economic Development.
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
3-Multi-Jurisdiction Memorandum of Understanding
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: On March 8, 2023, the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) released a Notice of Funding Availability for Round 5 of its Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant program.
Established in 2016, the TCC grant program funds the development and implementation of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that include multiple, coordinated
File ID: 2023-00847 7/25/2023 Consent Item 11.
greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental, and health benefits to disadvantaged communities.
On May 1, 2023, La Familia Counseling Center (LFCC) submitted a pre-proposal for its Greening North Franklin Project (Project) to the SGC. The purpose of the pre-proposal was to obtain initial feedback from SGC on whether the Project meets TCC threshold requirements.
Based on SGC’s assessment, the Project is competitive for a TCC implementation grant and therefore LFCC wants to proceed with submitting a full application. Staff is seeking City Council approval because the full application requires the City to serve as a co-applicant; submit a letter that guarantees that the City will execute its responsibilities related to the TCC grant if awarded; sign a draft partnership memorandum of understanding with LFCC and other partners that outlines the parties’ responsibilities related to the grant; and sign a multi-jurisdiction memorandum of understanding with Sacramento County to outline the City’s and County’s responsibilities related to the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street component of the TCC grant since part of the Project is located in an unincorporated area of Sacramento County.
Although the City would serve as a co-applicant on LFCC’s TCC grant application, the SGC would enter into the TCC grant agreement with LFCC only; SGC will not enter into any contractual relationship with the City. If the SGC awards the TCC grant to LFCC, staff will return to City Council to seek authorization for the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee to execute final partnership and multi-jurisdictional memoranda of understanding and to do all other things necessary for the City to carry out its responsibilities related to the TCC grant.
Project Overview
Key components of the Project include:
1. Opportunity Center. This component involves building an Economic Development Opportunity Center (Opportunity Center) on vacant land owned by LFCC at Franklin Boulevard between 37th and 38th Avenues. Once constructed, the Opportunity Center will serve as a community hub by providing critical services and resources to some of the community’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Specific elements include:
a. A behavioral health clinic where individuals can receive mental health counseling; b. A physical health clinic where individuals can receive health care services; c. A career center where individuals can receive employment coaching; d. A training center where individuals can utilize a computer lab and participate in workforce development programming;
File ID: 2023-00847 7/25/2023 Consent Item 11.
e. A birth and beyond center where individuals can participate in parenting classes; and f. A resiliency hub to support residents and coordinate resource distribution and services before, during, or after a natural disaster.
2. Franklin Boulevard Complete Street. This component involves redesigning Franklin Boulevard between Sutterville Road and 38th Avenue to create a safer and more accessible street for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users. Specific elements include:
a. Reducing vehicle lanes;
b. Constructing Class IV separated bikeways with raised concrete islands providing protection from moving traffic;
c. Widening the sidewalk;
d. Planting new landscaping and trees, and
e. Installing pedestrian-scale lighting.
The City has segmented the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street project into three phases for design, right-of-way easement acquisition and encroachment removal, and construction:
Phase 1 (Sutterville Road to 19th Avenue); Phase 2 (19th Avenue to 32nd Avenue); and Phase 3 (32nd Avenue to 38th Avenue). Phases 1 and 2 are fully funded through construction by state and federal grant programs. Phase 3 is fully funded through right-of-way easement acquisition and encroachment removal by state and federal grant programs. The TCC grant would provide the funding for the construction of Phase 3.
Other planned components include urban greening improvements to the Maple Neighborhood Center, residential weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades, as well as community education on climate resiliency, air quality, and cycling.
While LFCC is serving as the lead applicant and will be the grantee, the Project includes a myriad of partners including the City of Sacramento, the County of Sacramento, the Franklin Boulevard Business District, Community Resource Project, Grid Alternatives, United Latinos, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, and Civic Thread.
Policy Considerations: The Project is consistent with several of the City’s General Plan goals including creating employment opportunities, increasing multi-modal accessibility, and improving climate resiliency through reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Economic Impacts: The Project is likely to yield many positive economic impacts. In particular, the Opportunity Center is likely to boost employment and increase wealth building opportunities through
File ID: 2023-00847 7/25/2023 Consent Item 11.
its career center and workforce development training.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The proposed action constitutes the creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines § 15378(b)(4)). Applying for grant funds does not commit the City to approval of the Opportunity Center, nor does it prevent the City from seeking alternative solutions or mitigation measures that would otherwise be required in connection with the Opportunity Center. The City will conduct environmental review of the Opportunity Center as part of the entitlement process.
For the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street component, the City Council previously adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Plan <https://sacramento.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?
on February 4, 2020.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): For the Opportunity Center component, a NEPA review is currently underway as part of LFCC’s entitlement application. As with CEQA, applying for grant funds does not commit the City to approval of the eventual project, nor does it prevent seeking mitigation measures if required.
For the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street component, Caltrans previously issued a Categorical Exclusion on March 16, 2020.
Sustainability: The Project aligns with the City’s sustainability goals. Not only will the residential weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades coupled with community education improve climate resiliency, but the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street component will provide enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connections, which is likely to reduce vehicle trips and increase active modes.
Commission/Committee Action: Staff presented the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street Project to the Active Transportation Commission on February 16, 2017, and on November 9, 2017.
Rationale for Recommendation: If awarded, the TCC grant would provide the gap funding needed to complete two transformational projects in the North Franklin neighborhood. The completion of both the Opportunity Center and the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street Project has the potential to stabilize and even reverse some of the harmful impacts of historic disinvestment. Given these reasons, staff recommends approval of this item.
Financial Considerations: If the SGC awards the TCC grant to LFCC, LFCC will enter into the TCC grant agreement with the SGC. As a co-applicant and lead of the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street component, the City would receive approximately $10-11 million in pass-through funds from LFCC
File ID: 2023-00847 7/25/2023 Consent Item 11.
under the TCC grant agreement to fund construction of Phase 3 of the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street component. The City may also receive some pass-through funds to offset the staff time needed to participate in the stakeholder collaborative that is a required component of the TCC grant.
If the SGC awards the TCC grant to LFCC, staff will return to City Council for budget approval related to the TCC grant.
A final financial consideration is that the TCC grant program requires demonstration of leverage funding equating to at least 50% of the total award. When accounting for the multiple funding streams already secured by LFCC for the Opportunity Center as well as by the City for the Franklin Boulevard Complete Street work, the Project can meet the $14.75 million leverage requirement for a $29.5 million grant without the appropriation of any additional funding.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.